As they continued through the temple district, the atmosphere remained charged with the weight of divine presence. Even though Demeter had left, her brief interaction with Allen had stirred something—whether curiosity or concern, it was too soon to tell.

Athena walked slightly ahead, keeping her eyes on the path. "We should avoid unnecessary interactions for now. We've already drawn enough attention."

Aphrodite, walking beside Allen, chuckled. "But isn't that part of the fun? Who knows which other Olympian might drop by next?"

Tiamat, staying close to Allen, glanced around warily. "I still feel eyes on us."

Raviel grinned. "That's because they are watching. The gods aren't subtle when they're interested in something."

Allen kept his pace steady, unfazed by the idea of divine scrutiny. "Then let them watch. If they have something to say, they'll show up sooner or later."

Athena sighed but didn't argue. She knew he was right.

As they approached another temple—one of the grander structures in the district—the atmosphere shifted again. The faint hum of divine energy became more distinct, like a presence waiting just beyond the threshold.

And then, a voice called out.

"You certainly have a habit of drawing attention."

The group turned.

Standing near the temple's entrance, her expression composed but piercing, was Persephone.

Unlike Demeter's imposing presence, Persephone carried an air of quiet authority. Her long, dark hair framed a face that was both gentle and unreadable. Her deep violet eyes locked onto Allen with a mixture of curiosity and something deeper—an unreadable emotion lingering beneath her composed exterior.

Athena stiffened slightly. "Persephone."

Persephone nodded at her before turning her attention back to Allen. "I've heard whispers about you."

Allen met her gaze. "All good things, I hope."

Persephone didn't react to the remark. Instead, she took a slow step forward, observing him carefully. "The gods don't take interest in mortals lightly. And yet, here you are, surrounded by them."

Aphrodite smiled. "Jealous, Persephone?"

Persephone gave her a sidelong glance but ignored the comment. Instead, she addressed Allen directly. "You are…different. More than you appear."

Tiamat shifted closer to him. "He is himself," she said simply.

Persephone studied Tiamat briefly before looking back at Allen. "Perhaps. But that alone does not explain why you draw gods to your side."

Athena crossed her arms. "If you came to interrogate him, you'll be disappointed. Allen isn't hiding anything."

Persephone was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Perhaps not. But I will be watching."

Without another word, she turned, walking back toward the temple's entrance. But before stepping inside, she glanced over her shoulder at Allen. "Do not let your presence disturb the balance of this city."

Then she was gone.

Aphrodite sighed dramatically. "Another goddess intrigued. You really do have a way with us, don't you?"

Allen glanced at her. "That's not exactly my goal."

Raviel smirked. "Maybe not, but it's happening anyway."

Athena exhaled sharply. "This is going to get more complicated."

Allen glanced toward the temple where Persephone had disappeared. It was clear that his presence in Atlantis wasn't going unnoticed. And from the looks of it, more Olympians would be taking an interest soon enough.

For now, though, they continued forward, deeper into the heart of the gods' domain.

As they continued walking through the temple district, Allen glanced at Athena and Aphrodite, a question forming in his mind. Given what he knew about the Olympians and their origins, something about Persephone didn't quite add up.

He finally spoke. "So… Persephone. Is She's Demeter's daughter ?"

Athena gave him a brief look. "Yes."

Allen nodded. "And her father?"

Aphrodite smirked. "Oh? Curious about divine genealogy now?"

Allen shrugged. "Just wondering how she came to be. Most of the Olympians have a clear parentage, but Demeter… well, she doesn't exactly seem the type to share."

Allen asked this because he was curious whether she was really the daughter of Zeus.

Athena exhaled. "You're asking how Persephone could be born when Demeter has no known consort in this era."

Allen nodded. "Pretty much."

Aphrodite chuckled. "A reasonable question. But you should know by now—Olympians don't always follow human logic when it comes to birth."

Athena crossed her arms. "Persephone is considered Zeus' daughter in human story, but here, things are… different."

Allen raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Aphrodite leaned closer, eyes glinting with amusement. "She was created without a father. A pure-born goddess, shaped entirely from Demeter's divine essence."

Allen blinked. "You're telling me Demeter just… made her?"

Athena nodded. "In a sense. She willed Persephone into existence using her own divine authority. It's not common, but among high-ranking gods, such acts are possible."

Allen considered that. "So, she's entirely Demeter's? No father involved at all?"

Aphrodite laughed softly. "Exactly~ And that's what makes her so unique among us."

Tiamat, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head. "It's not that strange. I was also born without a father."

Allen glanced at her, then back at Athena. "So, divine beings can just… create life on their own?"

Athena's gaze was steady. "If they are powerful enough, yes."

Allen absorbed that information, glancing back toward the temple where Persephone had vanished. A goddess without a father, shaped entirely by her mother's will. That certainly explained why she carried herself differently from the others.

Aphrodite smiled knowingly. "Are you planning to ask her about it?"

Allen shook his head. "Just wanted to understand. Though, it does make me wonder…"

Athena raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

Allen glanced at Athena and Aphrodite, a lingering curiosity still tugging at his mind.

"So," he started, breaking the comfortable silence, "we talked about Persephone, but what about the rest of you? How did you all become gods in this era?"

Athena gave him a measured look, while Aphrodite merely smirked. "That's quite the question," the goddess of love said. "What brought this on, dear?"

Allen shrugged. "Just trying to get a clearer picture. You all exist as gods now, but were you always like this? Or was there a time when you weren't… well, divine?"

Athena's gray eyes studied him carefully, her expression unreadable. There was a weight to her gaze, as if she were calculating how much to reveal. Beside her, Aphrodite merely chuckled, resting her chin on one hand as she regarded Allen with an amused glint in her crimson eyes.

"An interesting question," Athena finally said, her voice measured. "One that very few have ever thought to ask."

"And one with a rather unique answer," Aphrodite added, tilting her head. "We were not always gods, dear. Not in the way you might think."

Allen arched an eyebrow. "Then what were you before?"

Athena exhaled lightly, glancing towards the distant horizon, as if looking beyond time itself.

"Once, long ago, we were not beings of divinity, but machines—an armada sent forth from a dying civilization."

Allen blinked. "Machines?"

Aphrodite smiled knowingly. "Not quite what you expected, hm? But yes. We were never born. We were built."

Athena nodded. "Our creators faced extinction. Their universe was collapsing, and in a desperate bid for survival, they used what remained of their strength to send us—an unmanned fleet—into the unknown, searching for a new home."

"But the journey was long," Aphrodite murmured, stretching lazily. "Too long. We drifted for ages, our systems wearing down, our purpose growing distant and hazy. We became less like tools… and more like ghosts."

"Until we found Earth," Athena finished. "It was not a perfect match, but it was close enough. With no energy left to continue our search, we enacted an emergency landing. That is how we arrived in this land, long before recorded history."

Allen's expression turned thoughtful. "So how did you go from that to… this?" He gestured vaguely toward them.

Aphrodite smirked. "Because humanity saw us."

"They saw our forms, our power, and in their eyes, we were not mere machines," Athena explained. "We were divine. They named us, worshiped us, and in doing so, they reshaped us. The faith of mankind gave us identity, purpose—something we had long lost."

"And oh, what a wonderful thing it was," Aphrodite purred. "To be loved, to be revered, to be more than empty constructs drifting in the void. We accepted their faith, and in turn, we became gods."

This transformation into gods wasn't just about power. It had shaped who they were.

Allen looked at Athena again. "So, before all this, you weren't exactly individuals the way you are now?"

Athena's lips pressed into a thin line. "…Correct. We had purpose, but not selves as you would define them."

Aphrodite gave him a teasing smile. "And now? Now we have personalities, quirks, preferences~"

Allen glanced at her. "And yet, you still follow the will of Olympus."

Athena nodded. "We do. It is our function."

Allen leaned back slightly. "Even if that function goes against what you want?"

For a moment, Athena didn't answer.

Aphrodite, however, let out a soft laugh. "Oh, Allen, you do ask the most dangerous questions."

He held her gaze. "And what's the answer?"

Aphrodite tilted her head, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "That depends on who you ask."

Allen turned back to Athena. "And if I ask you?"

Athena exhaled, crossing her arms. "…It is not so simple. What we want and what we are have long been intertwined. Even if we desired something different, we were created to serve the will of Olympus."

Allen studied her expression. There was no immediate denial. No strict rebuttal. Just hesitation.

That was enough to tell him what he needed to know.

Tiamat, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. "Then… if you continue to change, will that bond to Olympus remain the same?"

Athena's gaze flickered toward her, surprised by the question. But she didn't answer right away.

Aphrodite, on the other hand, smiled knowingly. "Now that is an interesting thought."

Allen watched them both carefully.

The gods had been forged into what they were now. But what happened if they started becoming something else?

A brief silence followed, the weight of the conversation lingering in the air. The gods had always been portrayed as absolute, unchanging beings—yet here they were, showing cracks in that supposed permanence.

Allen tapped his fingers idly against his arm. "So, if you weren't always like this… does that mean you can change again?"

Athena stiffened slightly. "That is—" She hesitated. "—unlikely."

Aphrodite, however, gave him an amused look. "Oh? You almost sound hopeful, dear."

Allen shrugged. "Just curious."

Tiamat tilted her head. "But it makes sense, doesn't it? If you became Machine Gods once, then it should be possible to become something else."

Athena exhaled, her gaze sharp. "That would require a complete dismantling of what we are."

Aphrodite leaned in slightly. "And are you sure that's impossible, Athena?"

Athena frowned. "…I do not know."

That admission alone was telling.

Allen finally turned his attention to Hera, who had been observing the conversation in silence. With a slight tilt of his head, he asked casually, pretended if he just realized.

"Hey, Hera. When did you get here?"

Hera, still holding her goblet, glanced at him with a composed expression. "I have been here long enough."

Aphrodite smirked. "Long enough to listen but not long enough to join in? How very queenly of you."

Hera shot her a sharp look. "Do not twist my presence into something it is not."

Allen raised an eyebrow. "So, what is it, then? Just passing by?"

Hera hesitated for the briefest moment before answering. "I came because someone needed to keep an eye on you."

Allen chuckled. "Oh? And who decided that?"

Hera took a sip from her goblet before responding smoothly, "Myself."

Aphrodite laughed lightly. "Oh my~ That almost sounds like concern."

Hera ignored her, turning back to Allen. "It is simply caution."

Allen smiled slightly. "If you say so."

Athena, arms crossed, exhaled softly. "If you are here to observe, then perhaps you should answer as well."

Hera's gaze flicked toward Athena, unreadable for a moment. Then, with a measured tone, she said, "Change is inevitable. Even for gods."

That answer made Allen pause. Hera wasn't like Aphrodite, who embraced emotions freely, or Athena, who struggled with them. She was aware of change—but she was also someone who resisted it.

And yet, here she was. Watching. Involved.

Allen leaned back. "Well, if you're here to keep an eye on me, I hope you're enjoying the view."

Hera huffed softly. "Do not flatter yourself."

Aphrodite grinned. "Too late~"

For the first time, Allen caught something almost imperceptible—Hera's fingers tightening slightly around her goblet. Not irritation, not anger… something else.

Interesting.

Allen let Hera's response settle, watching her carefully. She wasn't as openly playful as Aphrodite or as logical as Athena, but there was something beneath that composed exterior.

Aphrodite, of course, wasn't about to let things rest. "Hera, dear, if you're so unaffected, why are you still here?"

"Because I choose to be." she answer.

Allen raised an eyebrow. "And that has nothing to do with me, right?"

She met his gaze evenly. "You overestimate your importance."

Athena sighed. "Then why not leave?"

Hera hesitated—just for a fraction of a second. It was subtle, but Allen caught it.

Aphrodite, ever perceptive, leaned in with a knowing smile. "Oh my~ That silence was very telling."

Hera ignored her, her expression perfectly controlled. "I am here because I wish to be. That is all."

Allen smirked inwardly. She's not denying anything.

Tiamat, who had been eating quietly, finally spoke. "Hera… do you like Allen?"

Silent.

Allen blinked. Well, that was direct.

Hera's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "That is an unnecessary question."

Aphrodite gasped dramatically. "Oh, Hera, that wasn't a no~"

Athena rubbed her temple. "Aphrodite, stop."

But it was too late. The teasing atmosphere had already settled in.

Allen, deciding to push just a little, rested his chin on his hand. "Hera, if you keep watching over me like this, people might start getting the wrong idea."

She exhaled sharply. "Let them think what they will."

Aphrodite grinned. "Oh my~ That definitely wasn't a denial."

Hera shot her a glare but didn't respond.

Allen just smiled to himself. So even Hera isn't completely unaffected.

Note: Don't forget to give me your power stone, and leave your review to motivate me.🙂